The Breath of the Nundu
by HedwigBlack
Summary: Ivy Brown is sent to Uganda as an assistant to the mysterious Rolf Scamander with very few instructions and even less expectations. Even so, she has no clue what she's in for. Magical creatures, thrill-seeking escapades, and a little romance perhaps? Feedback is greatly appreciated.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a story about my OC Ivy Brown who is the much younger sister of Lavender Brown for Gamma's OC Boot Camp Challenge on HPFC. It also takes place in Uganda and I shall describe places and experiences to the best of my memory and ability.**

**Prompt: stars**

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My first view of Africa was of the stars.

I came out of the fireplace that was little more than a pile of bricks held together by clay and into a courtyard. I looked up into the huge expanse littered with unfamiliar constellations and breathed in the warm air which was filled with the fragrant scent of some tropical flower or other. The Ugandan Ministry official that was supervising the International Floo Network led me over to a small hut where I was to identify myself before being allowed to venture out.

I had to bend down so as not to hit my head on the door frame and after entering I came to stand before a small desk where a thin, older wizard was sitting. He did not even look up at me as he took down my information.

"Name?"

"Ivy Brown."

"Business?"

"Reporting as personal assistant to British Ministry Official Rolf Scamander."

"Length of stay?"

"No more than two months."

I hoped it would be no more than two months anyway. My instructions had been rather vague. I was simply to do as Mr. Scamander wished and hopefully I would get to do some writing. The promise of an adventure had first sparked my interest in going to Africa in the first place, but I was also advised by my mother that such an experience would surely give me a better chance at a position at the Daily Prophet. If not, at least there was the shock factor of having been to Africa. It was a win, win situation. At the very least, I would be interesting.

Besides, my sister Lavender had pulled some strings to get me the job. Being a werewolf on a mission for equality, she had quite a few connections in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. One of those connections was a stern woman by the name of Ingrid Kane, who had given me a list of instructions in a tone that made this assignment sound like serious business, and yet she hadn't given me any useful information about what was expected of me. With the prospect of adventure before me, however, I didn't think too much of it and eagerly accepted the job.

But now that I was here, I was scared shitless: an eighteen year old witch, fresh out of Hogwarts traveling alone to meet a complete stranger in a foreign country? What had I been thinking?

The wizard at the desk waved his hand to dismiss me and I walked back out of the hut and toward the gate that led out of the little courtyard and I familiarized myself with my surroundings. There were few streetlights to see by but underneath the closest one were a group of men next to a bunch of contraptions that I recognized as Muggle motorcycles. I went into my bag and pulled out a map and the list of instructions that I'd been given before my departure. My location was clearly marked as was the path to the hotel where Rolf Scamander was staying. I was to meet him there and my instructions stated that I was to get there by motorcycle or as the locals called them, _boda boda_. I was already beginning to regret my decision to come here. Why couldn't Mr. Scamander come get me?

I found myself asking that question over and over as I approached the group of men who were waiting for stranded pedestrians to hire them, and then again as I climbed on the back of one of their death traps and showed the driver where I wanted to go on the map, and then again as I held on for dear life while the _boda boda_ man weaved in and out of cars and pedestrians and bicycles, never stopping as there seemed to be no rules of the road. Every pothole we hit on the dirt road was torture and I attempted to look about me and take in the view to distract myself but it was too dark.

When we finally stopped before a hotel on the outskirts of Kampala, I quickly got off the bike and I could have kissed the ground. The man held out his hand, expecting payment so I searched my bag for the stack of bills I'd been given before arriving in Uganda. I flipped through the paper money, unsure of how much each one was worth, when a large heavily scarred hand reached out from behind me and quickly leafed through the pile and paid the man, who nodded his thanks and left on his death-mobile.

I turned to find that the hand belonged to a tall middle-aged man with jet black hair, blue eyes and an unreadable expression. He half-bowed a little awkwardly and introduced himself. "I am Rolf Scamander, Miss Brown. It is good to finally meet you."

"It is good to meet you too, sir," I said.

"The rest of your things arrived yesterday and I've had a room prepared for you," he went on. "We shan't spend much time here in Kampala as my business is elsewhere. For now, I expect that you are weary from your travels. I find international floo-ing is rather exhausting."

I hummed my agreement and followed him up a little flight of stairs to a rather large apartment. He opened the heavy wooden door and led me into the living space and gestured to the various rooms. "I sleep in there," he pointed to a room off to the side. He then led me to another door on the far wall and opened it to reveal a huge bedroom that was beautifully furnished. My trunk with my belongings was in the corner already and the bed was turned out and oh, so inviting.

"I trust you'll be comfortable," Mr Scamander said and without waiting for my thanks was gone into his own bedroom.

I stood there confused by his behavior. His manner and inflections did not speak of irritation but his actions certainly did. Ingrid had warned me that he was eccentric but she hadn't given me any specifics. I didn't know what to make of him. I shrugged it off however, when I turned back and surveyed my room once again and weariness overcame my curiosity. I quickly put on my pajamas and got into bed, pulling the mosquito nets around it.

I had no clue what I had gotten myself into, but it was quite a beginning.

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_This is my first attempt at a multi-chap involving an OC as the main character. This first chapter is rather short but now that the scene is set, the next few will be much longer and more information regarding dates and events will be given. Feedback would be very much appreciated. Is it worth continuing?_


	2. Chapter 2

I awoke to the sound of crowing roosters and bleating goats. It took me a few moments to realize where I was, but when the reality sunk in that I was in _Uganda_, I jumped out of bed and raced over to the open window to look outside. I could see the orange dirt road below me that led down a hill and where people could be seen driving _boda bodas_ and leading small cattle. The road turned so that I could see no more but the backdrop was a magnificent view of Kampala. It was a hilly area that was completely covered in low buildings and palm trees and a trail of smoke could be seen in the distance rising into the heavens which were spotted with fluffy white clouds. It was gorgeous.

Eager to go outside, I searched my bag for an outfit to wear and tried my best to make myself look presentable. I was still worried about gaining Mr. Scamander's approval as he did not seem the type to be easily impressed. I ran a brush through my light brown curls and tied them back out of my face. I didn't bother with makeup which Lavender had always found annoying, but hopefully Mr. Scamander wouldn't care. Frivolities like makeup could be done without in a place like this anyway. So far, it suited me.

I went into the living room in search of Mr. Scamander but it was deserted. The door to his bedroom was wide open and it was clear that he was not there either. I heard shuffling to my right and I was startled to find that there was a balcony overlooking the busy street that I had not noticed the night before. Mr. Scamander was lounging in a chair with a newspaper in his hand. I took a moment to study his profile. His glasses were set on the edge of his nose, his brow furrowed in concentration, and he had a cigarette dangling loosely from his lips. His hair was ruffled as though he had forgotten to comb it when he'd woken up but even so, he was quite attractive.

Without looking up from his newspaper he called out to me. "Come here, Miss Brown and let me have a good look at you."

I felt a blush rise to my cheeks but I obeyed and came out onto the balcony and took in the sights and sounds of Kampala. Mr. Scamander got up out of his chair and set his newspaper aside before circling around me, looking me up and down. It was unsettling but I stood still and let him inspect me. He stopped and backed away a few feet so that his back was against the balcony railing. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and finally spoke. "You're of athletic build. That is well as you'll need to be able to run swiftly." My eyes widened at this statement. _Why_ would I need to run swiftly?

He noticed my expression immediately and stuck the cigarette in his mouth and put his hands on his hips. "Ingrid didn't explain anything to you, did she?"

I shook my head no.

He groaned and ran his hand through his hair, ruffling it even more. He pondered the issue a moment or two longer before shrugging his shoulders. "Just as well, I suppose. You, Miss Brown, will accompany me north to Paraa where I shall be doing some exploring. I assume you at least are aware of my profession, yes?" He looked at me hopefully.

I swallowed hard. "Yes, sir. You work for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, studying rare African species and their magical properties," I recited.

"Precisely!" he said emphatically, startling me. He heaved himself up onto the balcony railing so that he was sitting on it and facing away from the two story drop to the ground. Just looking at him made me nervous. "And you are going to help me, see?"

I saw, all right. Eccentric had been an understatement.

He pulled out his wand and flicked it towards the door into the living room and a tray with tea and toast came levitating out onto the balcony and gracefully landed on a small wicker table. He gestured for me to sit and eat, so I did, because I was hungry and because I didn't like the prospect of disobeying him.

While I ate, he gave me a Ugandan culture lesson which I found both informative and fascinating.

"First of all, here in Africa there are two kinds of witches: Wand-holders like us and witch doctors. Do not confuse the two or it probably won't end well for you."

I nodded my understanding.

"When you are out on the street you might hear people calling you a 'mzungu.' It means 'white person.' It's not an offensive term; it's more of an exclamation over the novelty of seeing a white person in Uganda. This society is not very mixed. Which reminds me…" He held out his wand and waved it up and down over my person and I could feel my skin tingling. "A sun blocking charm," he explained. "The sun is unforgiving here. You'll need it."

"Thank you," I said gratefully.

"Up until a few years ago, this was a war-torn country. However, the Lord's Resistance Army has moved north into the surrounding countries like Sudan, so now Uganda is at peace. That does not mean you shouldn't be wary of your surroundings. Always have your wand at the ready but keep it hidden. Despite this warning, I'll tell you, that the locals are quite friendly. They may seem shy at first but once you get them to talk, they won't shut up." He gave me a knowing grin. "But I doubt you'll have time to strike up conversation with anyone where we are going because as I've already said, we are going to Paraa!" He jumped down from the railing and with long strides crossed the living room and went into this bedroom, waving his wand around.

I watched him rush about in his excitement and then followed him boldly into his room, toast still in my hand. "And what is in Paraa?" I asked.

"What is in Paraa?" he asked distractedly. Then he remembered himself and turned to give me his full attention. "Of course, they didn't tell you anything. I forgot. Yes, Paraa is the place we are going. It is where Murchison Falls is located which is the waterfall that causes the Victoria Nile to split and go off into two directions. It is the home of many different species of birds, snakes, and wild beasts including the Fwooper, the Ashwinder, and the Erumpent."

_Fwoopers and Erumpents? Oh, Merlin…_

"And which one of those will we be studying?" I asked.

Mr. Scamander dismissed that idea with a wave of his hand. "None of them!"

"So what will we be studying?"

"I'll tell you when we get there. Now pack your things so we can get a move on, yeah?"

"Right…" I shoved the rest of my toast in my mouth and hurried to my room. I packed the few things that I'd taken out trunk and dragged it out into the living room. He shook his head at me when he saw me struggling.

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"You're old enough to use magic then. Make life a little easier on yourself, girl." He pointed his wand at my trunk and it immediately became feather-light.

"Yeah…" I easily moved my trunk and set it down beside his. "Thanks."

"All ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose."

"That's the spirit!" He picked up his own trunk and led the way down the flight of stairs and out onto the street. He turned a corner to where there was a small lot where a couple of cars and several _boda bodas_ were parked. He went over to one of the motorcycles and loaded his trunk onto the back. My heart sunk as I realized what that meant.

"What happened to using magic and making life easier on us?" I asked. "I thought we were Apparating."

"Apparating! No way! You won't get to see anything if you Apparate everywhere. Trust me, you'll get used to it. The main road is paved for the most part." He lifted my trunk on top of his and secured it with rope that he conjured from the end of his wand. He got on the boda boda, started the engine, and threw me a helmet. I hung my head in resignation and got on the bike behind him.

"How far is it to Paraa?" I asked.

"Five and a half hours or so."

"Great."

The bike shook beneath me and I gripped Mr. Scamander's waist a little more firmly than I normally would have considering he was practically a stranger. But as we wound our way through the streets, I got a little more comfortable. He seemed to be a much better driver than the man who'd given me a ride last night.

We passed stalls that sold a variety of products, mostly fruit and vegetables. Others sold clothes or shoes. Vendors walked the streets carrying baskets of huge avocados or dangling live chickens from their ankles, wings flapping in all directions. The smell of exhaust fumes was overwhelming but the sights and sounds were exciting to someone like me who had never been anywhere outside of my own country. Occasionally men sitting on the side of the street would call out to us but I couldn't understand what they said over the engine. Mr. Scamander merely waved at them and kept on going.

We got to the main road leaving the city and thankfully it was paved. My back was killing me already and we still had another four hours to go. Despite this, I had to admit that Mr. Scamander was right. I would have hated to miss this view.

Everything was so lush and green and the sky was incredibly blue and covered in fluffy white clouds. We passed fields upon fields covered in purple flowers and bushes and every once in a while little huts made out of clay bricks and reeds. People could be seen lounging outside the huts or hanging up laundry on clothes lines to dry. Cows and goats were tied to stakes at the side of the road and the little children playing near them always looked up and waved at us as we passed.

After a couple of hours we got to an area that was completely covered in bushes and the pavement ended. We were traveling along dirt roads that were soft and muddy and it appeared that it had rained here recently. Orange dirt splashed around us and my legs were coated in mud by the time we had gone through a little town where the buildings looked to be made of whatever scraps of wood or metal the people could find. Signs were posted in front of each makeshift building advertising a medicine shop or a hotel. It looked like a ghost town.

"It won't be long now, Miss Brown!" called.

We passed through the town rather quickly and we found ourselves in the middle of a jungle. The road was less wet and he was able to go faster up and down the hills. Every once in a while, baboons could be seen in the middle of the path grooming themselves and they would lazily get up and move to the side of the road to let us pass. Every time this happened I would turn to look back at them in awe, but Mr. Scamander just laughed at me. "You'll see much more impressive beasts than a few baboons, Miss."

Finally, I could see the trees thinning ahead of us and I thought we must be nearly there, when he slowed the bike down to a halt and drew out his wand. He tapped our heads as well as the bike and placed a Disillusionment charm on us as well as a silencing charm on the bike. "Be sure to keep quiet while we pass the guards. I'm staying in a National Park and I don't want to draw attention to the fact that I'm here. They might get nosy if they realize how long I've been staying."

I nodded my understanding and we zoomed past the guards and the bike easily fit through the space between the gate and the surrounding trees. We passed other vehicles leaving the park and people walking along the road. There was a great hill before us and Mr. Scamander promised me that our destination was at the top. I had never been so happy for anything.

When we got to the top of the hill I could see that there was a beautiful cottage surrounded by flowers and palm trees and I could hear the distinct sound of running water. I climbed off the wretched _boda boda_ and followed the sound until I had walked past the side of the cottage to the edge of the cliff that it overlooked. The view was utterly breathtaking. In the distance mountains could be seen rising to the heavens. The vast jungle spread out before me and off to the left I could see where it ended giving way to grassland. Directly below me, however, was the best landscape of all: the Nile River.

Mr. Scamander came to stand behind me and clapped a scarred hand on my shoulder.

"Welcome to Paraa."


	3. Chapter 3

**Up until this point, I have been describing the scenery and things from memory. Most of what you read here is from memory as well, but as Ivy and Rolf begin to do some exploring, I am going to start relying more and more on my imagination so bear with me.**

**Also, a few people have asked about Luna. In this story she is no longer with Rolf. Why? You'll see ;)**

**Review please!**

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Mr. Scamander had to practically drag me away from the cliff and into the little cottage. He sat me down at a table in the kitchen and shoved a plate in front of me piled high with avocado and tomato slices. I hummed gratefully and began to eat, not having realized before just how hungry I was.

I looked about the room as he sat opposite me and ate his own meal. The kitchen was varying shades of gray as was the rest of the house. The contrast between the dull inside of the cottage and the colorful outside was a bit strange. I swallowed a bite of food and broke the silence that was starting to settle over the two of us.

"Is this your house?"

Mr. Scamander looked up, startled. He appraised me a moment before answering. "Let's just say, I'm leasing the place."

The way he said this made me rather suspicious, but I did not press the issue. I opened my mouth to speak again, but he cut me off.

"So, tell me, Ivy Brown. Who are you?"

I found this to be a rather odd question. It then occurred to me that I had barely spoken to this man in the last twenty-four hours as he had done quite a bit of talking. It seemed he'd been so eager to get to Paraa, he'd forgotten to interrogate me. Perhaps (or most likely) he'd wanted to get me as far away from Kampala as possible before I got cold feet and changed my mind.

"Who am I? You throw me on the back of a motorcycle and drive me across the country and then you stop to ask who I am?"

Mr. Scamander shrugged his shoulders and studied a piece of avocado. "Good a time as any, I suppose. You're stuck with me anyhow."

I leaned back in my chair and watched him eat. He refused to look at me now, preferring to stare at his plate. He grabbed a flask from beside him and took a long swig. "Well, Mr. Scamander…"

"Rolf! Call me Rolf!" he barked. "Mr. Scamander is such a mouthful."

"Yes. Rolf… What do you want to know?"

"What do I want to know?" he repeated and rubbed his chin. "That's my problem, see? I like to know things. It's how I make a living. It also means I'm _nosy_." He couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice as he said that last word. He paused dramatically and then continued. "Don't answer any questions you don't want to. I'm just curious why a young thing such as yourself would want to come out here with a complete stranger to do a job you may or may not be qualified for."

I struggled to answer this question, simple though it was. My friends and family had already asked me this and while my mother and sister were encouraging, I had to admit that a position at the _Prophet_ was not necessarily my main motive in coming here. It was true I was looking for adventure, but I could find that elsewhere as well. I looked out and watched the tropical plants sway in the light breeze that was coming through the open window, before saying the only truthful thing that came to mind.

"Because I could?"

"You don't seem so sure. Did you just answer a question with a question? Either way I like your answer. It's honest at the very least." Rolf nodded approvingly and lit a cigarette before reclining in his own chair.

"Yes, well, how often does an opportunity to go to Africa fall in your lap?" I asked.

"Exactly. That is the kind of thinking that will get you places. Make the most of every opportunity that is handed to you." I began to notice that the way he talked to me made me feel as though I should be taking notes. He seemed eager to instruct. "So, you like magical creatures?"

I shrugged noncommittally. "Well enough. I've only ever encountered the ones in class at Hogwarts. Flobberworms, hippogriffs, unicorns… that sort of thing."

"Those are relatively safe compared to what you shall encounter here. However if you can keep your wits about you around a hippogriff, you will be just fine. Paying attention is crucial to what we are going to do. Now tell me what you know about hippogriffs."

He questioned me for a few minutes about various animals that I had learned about in Care of Magical Creatures. He seemed satisfied with my knowledge and I couldn't help but feel very satisfied with myself. I wasn't as ill qualified as I had thought.

When there was a pause in his interrogation, I decided it was high time I started asking him questions. It seemed only fair. "What made _you_ decide to come to Africa?"

Before Rolf could answer I heard a loud shrieking sound and turned just in time to shield my face from a large, brightly colored bird which had flown through the window and toward my head. I felt the force of its flapping wings against my hair before it settled on the table before me and began pecking at the bits of tomato that were left on my plate.

"Henry!" Rolf exclaimed getting up from his seat and coming around to my side of the table. He reached out to the bird which jumped onto his arm, leaned over towards my face and squawked loudly. I sat back as far as I could in my chair and cringed. My ears continued to ring as Rolf pulled the bird away and leaned against the kitchen counter stroking its feathers. "Henry!" he admonished playfully. "That's no way to treat a guest."

From this distance I was able to admire the bird. I'd never seen anything quite like it. Its feathers were vibrant shades of orange, pink, yellow, and lime green. It blinked its piercing black eyes and nuzzled against Rolf's hand affectionately. I rose to go and inspect it properly, approaching with caution. As soon as I came within ten feet of it, the bird sat up to its full height and flapped its wings.

Rolf merely rolled his eyes and shook his arm a bit forcing the bird to settle down. "Don't mind him. He's just showing off. Here!" He stuck out his arm to me and Henry immediately moved to perch on my shoulder. It let out another shrieking cry and it almost made me want to cry too.

"What is it?" I asked, doing my best to ignore the tears welling up.

Rolf flicked his wand at the bird and it lurched forward and opened its mouth to squawk but no more noise came out and I sighed gratefully. "Fwooper!" he boomed. "Loud, obnoxious bastards aren't they? He's not exactly mine. He just comes and finds me sometimes." He scratched Henry under his chin. "I have to put a Silencing Charm on the thing when he comes round. It's required if you own one or else Fwooper song will drive anybody insane."

I reached out a hand and stroked Henry's feathers and found that they were incredibly soft. He nipped at my hand and I drew it away and decided to use a slice of avocado to get on his good side. Henry seemed to approve of this and threw his head back to swallow the treat.

"You've passed the third test!" Rolf said gleefully, rubbing his hands together. "If Henry likes you, you'll get along just fine."

"What was the first test?" I asked.

"Showing up."

I laughed at that. "And what was the second?"

"What do you think I've been doing asking you all those questions? You seem to know a lot more about magical creatures than you let on. I believe that you will do very well as my assistant."

"I didn't realize I was going to be tested so soon," I said, offering Henry another slice of avocado.

"Are you ready for the next one?" he asked. There was a devious look in his eye that caught me off guard. So far these tests hadn't been so difficult; obviously, since I hadn't realized that they were tests. I had a feeling this one would be more challenging then getting a bird to sit on my shoulder.

"Yes…?" I said hesitantly.

He raised his eyebrows. "Is that a question?"

"No… I mean… I meant to say yes. Definitely yes," I amended.

"Excellent! Let's go!" With that he grabbed a bottle of water off the kitchen counter and threw it at me before leading the way outside once more. When I walked out the door and closed it behind me, Henry took off and began to circle around our heads, opening its mouth wide but the Silencing charm was effective. "Fancy a run?" Rolf asked and broke into a jog without waiting for my answer. He headed over to a patch of forest and I followed behind him. There was a path that Rolf had probably made himself and I watched as he ducked under hanging branches and over roots. I did my best to mirror his movements as we went further and further into the jungle. Henry swooped low over our heads and as we went along I began to notice more animals that I had only seen in books. We passed a couple of baboons and they were even more fascinating now that I was this close. They did not seem perturbed by our presence. Smaller vervet monkeys ran across our path and I nearly tripped over one. I could hear birds calling out to each other in the trees but I could not see them.

We'd been jogging through the jungle for almost twenty minutes and I was beginning to grow weary. Rolf kept a steady pace and just as I was thinking of calling out to him to slow down, the trees suddenly ended and we came out onto a stretch of rock and we were forced to stop before we ran right off another cliff. This one was much steeper than the one by the cottage.

I bent over to clutch my knees and breathed heavily. "Was that… the test?" I asked. "Because… if so… I think… I failed."

Rolf turned from where he was standing at the edge of the rocky precipice with his hands on his hips. He motioned that I should join him. I walked forward on shaky legs and looked out over the cliff. In the distance I could just make out the waterfall that he'd mentioned back in Kampala. Directly below us the water swirled with foam from the falls and flowed steadily downstream. Across the river I could make out the bulky grey bodies of hippos, their ears twitching as they rose above the water.

Rolf spread his arms wide. "You asked what made me decide to come to Africa, Ivy. This is it."

I nodded and took a long drink from the bottle of water he'd given me. When he saw that my breathing was normal, he leaned over the edge of the cliff and looked down. "Are you ready for your test now?"

I groaned. "You mean that really wasn't it?"

"Of course not! You'll run marathons by the time I'm through with you, missy!" He then proceeded to pull his shirt over his head and then bent down to take off his shoes and socks. I couldn't help but notice there were a few long scars across his back as though he'd been scratched by something large. He turned towards me and I saw his well toned torso was adorned with a few smaller scratch marks as well. He saw me looking and I blushed as I met his eyes. "A few injuries come with a job like mine. That's what makes it exciting." His eyes glinted mischievously. "How are you with pain?"

I eyed a particularly thick line of raised skin that ran from his sternum up to his left shoulder. I gulped down some more water. "I don't know yet."

"Hmm. Again, your honesty is quite refreshing. You won't have to worry yet. This test isn't painful. At least if you do it right."

This man was infuriating! He had me nervous and jittery now with all this talk of injuries and pain. He also seemed to take some sadistic pleasure in watching me squirm at the thought.

He pulled me by the arm so that my toes were kissing the rocky edge of the cliff, and a few loose stones fell down into the depths of the water below.

"Have you ever been cliff jumping before?" Rolf asked.

My heart dropped down into my stomach. "No."

He stretched his arms above his head. "There's a first time for everything. Just do as I do." He saw my horrified expression and did his best to reassure me. "The water is very deep here. Just jump as far away from the edge as you can, feet down."

Before I could protest, he had backed up a few feet and then surged forward and pushed off from the rock. With a loud yell, he hit the water. I waited with bated breath for his head to come back up above water. It had to be a forty foot drop.

I finally saw his dark hair rise above the foamy surface of the river and he waved up at me. "What are you waiting for?!" he called.

I was deciding whether or not to leave him down there and run back to the cottage on my own. I supposed, that would mean I had failed the fourth test. I was doing so well, too. I looked down at him smiling up at me. "You are mad!" I called.

"So?!"

Henry landed on the ground beside me. I sighed and leaned down to stroke his head. "What do you think, Henry?"

He opened his mouth wide and then flew off over the cliff and down to where Rolf was now sitting on a large rock on the far side of the river. "I'm waiting!" he called.

I groaned and took off my shoes and socks and set them next to his clothes. Then I took a few deep breaths. I could not believe I was about to do this. Finally, I saw there was nothing for it but to move, so I jogged to the edge of the cliff and jumped as far out as I could. I did my best to straighten my legs just as Rolf had instructed and squeezed my eyes shut. I took in a deep breath as I felt my feet hit the water and I was plunged into the depths of the Nile River.

This part of the river was indeed very deep and I was surprised that I did not hit the bottom. The water was cold and so clear. I kicked my legs hard and swam in the direction of the light above me. My head finally broke the surface and I gasped for air. To my right I could hear Rolf celebrating from his seat on the rock. I swam over to it and he pulled me up.

"Now, wasn't that fun?" he asked.

"I guess. Now that it's over," I said. I sat down and hugged my knees to my chest. "Did I pass my test?"

"With flying colors!" He exclaimed.

"Why did you make me do that?" I asked curiously.

Rolf smirked at me. "Because I could," he said before diving back into the river.

_Bastard._


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm a horrible updater! So, so sorry! This is moving slowly but surely. I'd love to hear your thoughts ;)**

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The next day, Rolf snuck up behind me and took my wand away from me while I was sitting down to breakfast. I didn't pay too much mind, since I figured he would give it right back after teasing me for a few minutes. I'd learned enough about him during the last few days to realize that he liked toying with people.

My lack of reaction seemed to amuse him greatly. He twirled my wand through his fingers and leaned against the kitchen counter, surveying me over his glasses.

"You'll get this back after training," he said simply and went into his room and shut the door, while I sat at the table with my jaw hanging open. My heart pounded, and it was such a strange feeling to know that I was alone in an unfamiliar place without my wand. I thought back to all the things I'd learned in Defense Against the Dark Arts and my mother's lectures on how I should never let a stranger handle my wand, and I could have kicked myself. I definitely did not like being so vulnerable.

I let him know it too, once he came back out of his room. I crossed my arms and gave him the darkest glare I could muster, hoping that I didn't look like a spoiled child.

"You _will _give that back," I stated, knowing full well that the unspoken 'or else' was an empty threat.

"Of course I will," he responded and gave me a cheeky smile before filling a mug of coffee.

"I'm going to need it, you know," I said. That much I knew to be true.

"Of course you will."

"So why did you take it from me?"

He set his mug down carefully and slowly came over to me. He pressed his palms against the table and leaned down so that his face was level with mine so that I had to look him in the eye. It was rather frightening, but not in the way one would expect. This close to him, I could see that there was a haunted, almost manic look in his eye that a casual observer wouldn't be able to see. It sent a shiver up my spine. He didn't seem to notice.

"Let's be clear, Ivy Brown," he said quietly. "_You_ are working for _me_. I know exactly what I'm up against out there, and you don't have a clue. Not a goddamn clue, missy. And I don't expect you to, but when we're out in the jungle and it's you against the elements, you're going to have to look to me, you hear?"

He paused and I nodded, swallowing thickly.

He continued. "And don't think for a moment that just because you work for me that means I think you're worth less than me. In fact, it's the opposite. You are my partner from here on out, see? And partners have to trust each other."

Again, I nodded my understanding. He continued to search my face for a moment before backing away, satisfied that I understood. He held out a scarred hand. "Partners?"

I reached out to grasp it and smiled weakly at him. "Partners."

He went back to his coffee and took a look out the window to study the weather.

"All right then," he said. "Hurry up and eat so we can go."

* * *

For the next two weeks, Rolf spent a lot of time forcing me to run trails through the jungle, stopping every once in a while to instruct me on different creatures we passed. Some were magical, and some were not. He particularly liked showing me the crocodiles and laughed at me for jumping every time they snapped their jaws. I would always instinctively reach for my wand and lament the fact that he'd taken it from me, and he always would wait until the absolute last second to throw a Stunning Spell at them. Once he'd stunned one, he would straddle it and open its mouth wide and make me run my fingers along its teeth. He would go on and on about the strength of their jaws and the way they open their mouths to cool themselves off. One time, he pretended to snap its mouth closed on my arm, which made me mad. But then he got up and wagged his finger in mock disapproval. "You don't trust me yet, do you, _Partner_?"

I got up and he began to walk away as if in disappointment, leaving me with the stunned crocodile. I then watched in horror as he flicked his wand over his shoulder and the animal revived, and became very, very angry. It snapped its jaws and made a strangled growling noise that made me freeze in terror. It took a few steps toward me with its mouth opened wide, and as soon as I thought I would become dinner, I felt a hand grip around my arm and I was being Apparated away.

My feet hit the ground and I backed away into a tree, breathing heavily. Rolf was doubled over, leaning on his knees, unable to contain his laughter. "You're something else you, know that?"

"How so?" I asked through gritted teeth. I could feel my face beginning to grow red with anger, and as much as I wanted to yell at him, I knew that he had been making his point about trusting him. I clenched my fists and waited for his response, prepared to bite my tongue off in an attempt to not say something I'd regret.

"Most girls would have screamed or run away. You just stood there. No sense of self preservation at all." He shook his head in amusement. "Full of surprises, aren't you?"

"What was I supposed to do?" I asked him.

"Exactly what you did," he said. "Never turn your back on a predator."

"Oh."

He rubbed his hands together. "I think that has earned you a reward!"

I looked up at him hopefully. "My wand back?"

"Ha! So eager. Not yet. But there's something I want to show you. Come on." And with that he started running.

Again.

He took me through a particularly dark part of the jungle farther north of where he'd taken me the first day. The trail was overgrown with bushes and clearly not many people seemed to go this way anymore. When I stopped to think of it, Rolf was probably the only person to go out there. He kept a steady pace though, and I struggled to keep up, but I could feel my body becoming accustomed to the paces he was putting me through, which was a relief. As soon as we passed through a patch of trees that had fallen in the way, I felt my ears begin to ring, and my skin tingled, and I called out to Rolf in panic.

He turned and smiled at me before digging in his bag and he brought out a pair of large, red earmuffs, much like the ones Professor Sprout used when she had her students work with Mandrakes. I put them on and immediately the ringing stopped, though the tingling feeling did not subside.

He pulled aside some branches and ducked underneath another fallen palm tree and when I followed him, I saw that he'd brought me into a small clearing, maybe twenty feet wide at most. I couldn't hear anything, but my skin was tingling more than ever and I looked down to see the hair on my arms sticking up. I looked over to Rolf who grinned and pointed up. The jungle ceiling was completely covered in brightly colored feathers and I realized that he must have brought me to a Fwooper colony and the tingling feeling was explained. Henry's squawking itself was enough to give me goosebumps, but an entire group of them was overwhelming to the senses.

Pink, green, orange, yellow… The view was almost blinding. I looked down again and I saw that the forest floor was also covered in feathers that had fallen and Rolf was bending over and inspecting some of them.

I lifted my face to the sky once more and recognized Henry swoop down to land on my shoulder. It really was breathtaking, and the enormity of what I was seeing began to settle on me. I wondered how many people would ever get to see this.

A few more Fwoopers flew down to land on the ground next to Rolf. He stroked their feathers fondly. More and more birds came down to observe us, and we observed them too. Some were multicolored like Henry while there were others who were mostly orange, or mostly pink with patches of green. The variety was fascinating and I could see that Rolf was rather pleased with himself that he'd brought me here as a reward.

After several minutes, I could feel my ears begin to burn beneath my earmuffs and I exchanged a look with Rolf signaling that it was probably time we should leave. He carefully wrapped his handful of feathers in a handkerchief and put it in his bag before taking my hand and Apparating back to the start of the trail near the little cottage. The sky was tinged with orange; I hadn't realized how late it had gotten and I was thankful that he'd chosen a faster method of getting home instead of making me run some more.

He casually threw an arm around my shoulder. "Did you enjoy that?"

"Very much," I said earnestly. "Thanks."

He held the front door open for me and grinned. "You're quite welcome."


	5. Chapter 5

It was three days before I got my wand back. It was a glorious reunion and I vowed to never let it out of my sight again. Rolf just shook his head at me in amusement, but I could tell that he was pleased with my progress so far.

In order to get my wand back he'd put me through plenty of terrifying situations including a stampede of water buffalo and forcing me to hold a three-headed snake which he called a Runespoor. I never liked snakes to begin with, but a three-headed one was especially disconcerting.

However, the most grueling test turned out to be impromptu and involved a very angry Erumpent. Rolf had taken me out onto the plains away from the jungle for a change of scenery and found a very tall hill where we could get a good view of the terrain. He brought out a pair of binoculars and trained them over a distant clump of bushes for a few minutes. All of this was done in silence, which was fine with me; neither of us were much for conversation and I was content to just stand there and take in my surroundings. Finally, Rolf hummed softly and handed the binoculars off to me and pointed out into the distance. I followed the direction of his pointing finger and saw that he'd found a large animal similar to a rhinoceros; it was round and gray like one anyway. But I knew from Rolf's lectures that there hadn't been rhinos in the country for years and that this was in fact an-

"Erumpent," Rolf grunted.

"I thought you said we wouldn't be studying Erumpents," I said.

"We won't be. You'll see in good time. I'm waiting for the…ah…opportune moment to show you what we'll be studying." His eyes glinted mischievously and I followed him as he walked down the hill in the direction of the Erumpent. "In the meantime," he continued, "Erumpents are interesting enough, and you ought to see one." We continued walking and I was thankful that he decided running was unnecessary. Away from the shade of the trees near the river, the sun was scorching hot.

"Erumpent horns are very dangerous," he explained quietly. "They contain a deadly fluid that will cause whatever is injected with it to explode. The fluid is very valuable as potion ingredients. The tails are too. Look." We'd come to sit on the ground again a palm tree that was close enough to observe the creature. He pointed to its backside and I could see that its tail had been cut short. He continued to instruct me on Erumpent eating habits, temperament, and magical qualities in a quiet tone so as not to disturb it. He was right that it was quite fascinating, and it seemed that we would be able to come and go without disturbing it until Henry showed up with a loud squawk.

Rolf and I both jumped and Henry swooped down to perch on Rolf's shoulder and stuck out his leg which had a letter attached to it. Rolf didn't take the letter immediately; he was too distracted by something else and I followed his gaze and realized that the Erumpent had been upset by the noise Henry had made. It was glaring in our direction with angry, red eyes and I moved to get up, but Rolf put a restraining hand on my shoulder. "Not yet," he whispered. "Wait until I say."

The beast slowly turned to face us and bent its head down with its horn pointed directly at us. Obviously, it was getting ready to charge. I pressed my feet hard against the ground, preparing myself to spring up and out of the way when Rolf gave the signal, but the Erumpent stayed very still for a couple of minutes, and I thought perhaps, if we stayed still long enough, it would change its mind. But then, Henry let out another loud, impatient squawk when Rolf didn't take the letter of his leg, and the Erumpent threw its head back in anger. It pawed the ground and then began to move in our direction.

"Rolf?"

"MOVE!"

We quickly got up and went around opposite sides of the tree and I saw him motion to me that we should keep running. Behind us, I heard a strangled groan and the crunch of the palm tree as the Erumpent ran into it. I looked back over my shoulder, and all I could see was the tip of the horn sticking through the other side of the tree trunk.

"Keep running!" Rolf yelled. "It's going to blow!"

His words spurred me on and then I felt a rush of heat and the telltale signs of an explosion. Chunks of tree bark and leaves and debris landed around us, and the ground shook beneath me, causing me to fall to my knees. Rolf came to help me up and I turned to see a charred tree stump and a bloody mess where we'd just been sitting. He shook his head at the sight and then glared at Henry who was once again pestering him to take the letter off his leg. "Damn bird," he muttered and untied the bit of parchment.

When he read the letter's contents, his expression changed from one of annoyance to one of pure excitement that I hadn't seen before. It was amazing to me how calm he could be after such a traumatic event as almost being gored by an Erumpent, but I supposed things like this were a typical hazard for a man of his profession. I also supposed I should start getting used to the idea that for the next several weeks, this would be my profession too. My knees were still shaking, but I tried to forget that as he clapped a hand on my shoulder.

"You did well," he said.

I opened my mouth to respond but I was still rather speechless after the most recent turn of events. He understood and started to lead the way back to the cottage. He tapped the letter in his hand and smiled. "Looks like we ought to be getting back. The opportune moment has arrived."

And with that he pulled my wand out of his bag and gave it back to me. "You've earned it."

* * *

When we reached the cottage, there was a man lounging on the front porch with an envelope in hand. I could see he was a Ugandan native, which interested me, since up until now, I had gotten the impression that Rolf was a recluse without many local contacts. His khaki pants were rolled up about his knees and his shirt hung loosely about his shoulders, buttoned a little haphazardly in front. As we approached, he got up to greet us with a white toothy grin that stood out against his dark skin. There was a friendly look in his eye as he looked me up and down whilst shaking Rolf's hand. "A bit young is she not?" he asked jokingly.

Rolf merely shrugged and took the envelope out of the man's hand. "Not really." He proceeded to open it and walk toward the house without another word.

The man stuck out his hand to me. "My name is Gerald, miss," he said slowly. "Very pleased to meet you."

"I'm Ivy," I said shaking his hand. "It's good to meet you too." We followed Rolf to the house. "Do you work for Rolf too?"

Gerald threw back his head and laughed. "Oh, no. I do not work for Rolf Scamander or anyone else, for that matter. And nobody works for me. We just help one another out from time to time. I am a photographer." He motioned to a camera bag that was slung across his shoulder. We entered the house and found Rolf in the living room. "How has my friend been treating you?" he asked me. "Not too terribly, I hope."

Rolf grunted from the couch where he was studying the contents of the envelope Gerald had given him. "I treat her better than you, don't worry, Gerald."

Gerald winked at me and settled down into an easy chair. "How long have you been staying here, Ivy?"

"Three weeks," I answered, sitting across from him.

"And you have never been to Africa before? This is wonderful! How are you enjoying your stay?"

"Oh, very much! It's beautiful here. Rolf's been showing me around."

Gerald snickered. "I'm sure he has. Don't work her too hard, brother! Let her have some fun too!"

Rolf looked at him archly over the glasses perched on his nose. "She can have fun later!" he barked. "Now's the time for business. Come look at this with me."

Gerald rolled his eyes and I distinctly heard him mutter the word "Mzungus" under his breath before going over to look at what I could see were several pictures spread out over the coffee table.

Rolf tapped the one in front of him. "How long ago was this?"

"Four days ago. I went there last night and it's still there."

Rolf rubbed his hands together in excitement. "Excellent. When are we going?"

Gerald jerked his head in my direction. "You are taking her too?"

"Yes. Is that a problem?" Rolf looked up at the man in a way that clearly said he was not used to being questioned. Up until now, he had not acknowledged I was still in the room and I observed the exchange from my seat, wondering what the next venture would entail. It seemed the newcomer was concerned for me, and I couldn't deny that it was a bit unsettling.

Gerald crossed his arms and gave me an appraising look before shrugging noncommittally. "No. Not a problem. I shall come back at sunset tomorrow night. That is when it is most active."

"Very good, very good," Rolf said, picking up one of the pictures and studying it closer as he walked into the kitchen, leaving me alone with Gerald.

The man was not looking at me, but at the manic expression on Rolf's face. "I shall be going now!" he called after him. Rolf said his distracted thanks from the kitchen, but Gerald did not move from his spot immediately. He picked up one of the pictures that were left on the coffee table and I succumbed to my curiosity and got up to have a look myself.

The pictures were moving, though the scenery was a shady part of the jungle and it was difficult to discern what was causing the movement, until a gleam of pale yellow eyes shone among a clump of bushes. The rest of the body was hidden from view, but the creature seemed to be very catlike. _Huge_ and catlike.

I looked up to meet Gerald's eyes and he smiled gently down at me. "Nundu."

This meant nothing to me, but the way he said it sent shivers up my spine. He looked over his shoulder and saw that Rolf was in his own little world in the kitchen. Then he bent down closer to me so he could speak more quietly. "Rolf Scamander is a good man. But there is a thirst for revenge in his heart. Be very careful."

He gave me one last meaningful look before heading for the door and leaving me to ponder his words.


	6. Chapter 6

**So I signed up for the Long Haul Competition in hopes I'd be inspired to finish this… and I've missed this fic so much OMG how could I have let it go?**

* * *

Rolf was very quiet for the rest of the day. Granted, he didn't speak much as a rule, but that afternoon he was especially withdrawn. It seemed to me that Gerald's news of the Nundu had put Rolf in a pensive mood and I deemed it wise to leave him alone.

I sat on the couch while he continued to pace the kitchen. I could hear him talking to himself in a low voice and every once in a while I watched his shadow on the wall stop and run a hand through his tousled hair. We both studied the pictures that Gerald had left with us. There wasn't much else to see aside from the occasional swish of a tail or a pair of gleaming eyes among the bushes. At least, not to me. But I watched Rolf's face as he continued to search for… something. What that something was I couldn't guess, but I couldn't pretend that the silence wasn't troubling to me.

The real concern I was having at that point was what he expected of me now. He had said we were partners, but what exactly did that mean? How could I be helpful if I didn't know what I was getting myself into? Not only that, but it was the first time since my arrival that Rolf seemed out of his element. There was no evidence of the usual confidence or arrogance in his demeanor. The atmosphere was tense and it almost seemed as if he was _nervous._

Rolf didn't get nervous. Loud, angry, sarcastic, _bloody annoying_, but never nervous. I'd only spent three weeks with the man but I'd learned how to read him. I could tell when he was amused, though he rarely let it show, preferring to put up a seemingly emotionless front. I could tell when he was proud of my small accomplishments. He'd always give me some sort of reward in the form of a boat ride down the river or a trek into the jungle where the scenery literally took my breath away. I could tell when he was angry, not because he yelled. No, Rolf could be loud, but he never yelled. I could tell because of the flash in his eyes that had startled me the first time I'd really looked into them.

But when I met his gaze as we sat down to eat our dinner on the front porch, I saw sadness and it really hit me that while I could read him well enough, I honestly knew nothing about him. I saw sadness and I wanted to know why, but I didn't dare ask.

The rain tapped against the roof and occasionally splashed my bare feet as I stretched out in a rocking chair with my plate of chicken and posho on my lap. The sound almost reminded me of home and it was rather comforting.

Rolf sighed and finally spoke for the first time in what seemed an eternity.

"Coming out here all by yourself is a very brave thing. Very _daring_. But you weren't a Gryffindor in school, were you?" he asked, but he said it with a sort of certainty that told me it wasn't really a question.

"No," I said. "I was a Ravenclaw."

"I can tell."

"Really? What gave it away?"

"There is wisdom in knowing when to be quiet," he said simply. And that was all. He resumed his silence as though he was trying to prove something. Or perhaps he was daring me to not be quiet. To be unwise. To be a Gryffindor.

I only said, "Thank you," before continuing to eat my meal. Rolf seemed to think this was funny.

"You're really something else, Ivy," he said. He reached down beside him and raised a bright yellow jug to his lips. He closed his eyes as he swallowed before shaking his head and handing the jug to me. "Have some."

"What is it?" I asked warily.

"What do you think?"

As soon as I took hold of the drink, I could smell the alcohol. It was potent and clearly homemade, but he smiled encouragingly at me. "Go on, then."

It burned so badly that it was like swallowing knives. I'd had my fair share of firewhiskey before, but nothing as strong as this stuff. I choked and sputtered and handed the jug back to Rolf. "It's terrible."

"Yeah, it's an acquired taste," he said bitterly before taking another swallow. He opened his mouth to speak again, most likely to comment about the weather, but I'd had enough of his small talk, so I interrupted.

"What's a Nundu?"

Rolf made a low growling sound in his throat. He took another swallow of alcohol/poison before simply saying, "Cat."

"I see _that_," I said impatiently. "But why do you want to study it? What does it do? What's so special about it?"

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, gathering his thoughts. The indirect way he was going about his answer was killing me and I could feel my heartbeat begin to quicken at the thought that perhaps I was in over my head here. When he opened his eyes he stared at the ceiling, refusing to look in my direction as he confirmed my suspicions.

"A Nundu kills people, Ivy. It's not like any other African cat. It's not a great hunter like a lion or leopard or anything like that. It kills people just by getting too close. Takes out entire villages just by breathing on them."

"Breathing on them," I repeated.

He nodded. "The breath of the Nundu is toxic. Causes terrible disease. It's considered the most dangerous magical creature alive. And my job," he said, suddenly getting up and moving past me to lean against the porch railing. "My job is to study it, to learn about it. No one else is willing to take the risk of getting too close."

"And what if _I'm_ not willing to get too close?" I asked. I picked up one of Gerald's pictures again, looking at it with newfound interest, trying to size up the cat in the bushes. It had never looked so huge before. I thought I might faint.

I hated fainters.

"You'll be fine," Rolf said, his arrogant sense of certainty beginning to return.

"I'll be terrified," I said. "I _am_ terrified."

"Good."

Merlin, this man was infuriating! "Maybe it's best if I stay here. You can go with Gerald. He was right. Maybe it's better if I don't go."

It was the first time I refused to go on a mission with him, or expressed any kind of concern at all. But this was too much. Surely he could see that?

He turned to me, but I did not see the flash of anger in his eyes that I was expecting. Instead it was that sadness that I didn't understand. Maybe even disappointment.

"I need my partner," he said. "And I'm telling you, you'll be fine. I was complimenting you earlier about being a Ravenclaw, you know. It wasn't an insult. You are a brave Ravenclaw and those are the best kind."

I felt my face turn pink in spite of myself. "Thank you," I said quietly. "I'm still not sure I want to go, though."

"Suit yourself," he said. "I won't force you. I just…" he trailed off.

"What?"

"I want you to be part of this with me."

"Why?"

He shook his head and raised his alcohol to his lips. He didn't speak anymore after that, only stared out into the jungle that was spread out before us. He was lost in his own thoughts and I might as well not have been there at all.

He took an especially large swallow from the yellow jug and choked and sputtered before setting it down at his feet.

"Why do you drink?" I asked. What I meant was _Why are you sad?_ but I had a feeling he wouldn't answer.

He narrowed his eyes and cleared his throat. "Can you see Thestrals, Ivy?"

I shook my head. "No."

He stared at a spot near the jungle's edge for a moment, his fists and teeth clenched. "I can," he said darkly. And then he went back into the house without another word.


End file.
